Rediscovering records

@rvpiano I agree, and the distortions in microgrooves pose real problems.  That said, I've found that most good vintage pressings do pretty well, if you allow for a certain degree of tolerance.  OTOH, I'm sorry to say that a well-done digital remastering from master tapes eliminates many issues.

You need to find a music loving friend, locally, hopefully an Audiophile.

There are many jazz compositions that run over 8 minutes owing mostly to improvisation by each musician, but time duration is still a faulty way to define a genre. I’m fine with “classical”. Like “pornography”, I can’t define it but I know it when I hear/see it.

This reminds me of an argument I had with a person years ago.  It started something like this.  I said that although I am primarily a jazz person, I also like Baroque music and even some Early Western music.  The reply was, oh yes I like Classical music too.  To which I replied that Classical music was from a later period than I was referring to.  The conversation quickly devolved from there.

Based on my experience no single system does all genres equally. My system consisting of horns and SET amps, DHT preamps doesn't do justice for large scale orchestral music. Musicians in room presentation doesn't work for all music, I prefer a more distant presentation for this music, don't need or want 100 musicians in my room!

On the other hand I find big band music from 40's and 50's far more compelling with my system, these mostly mono recordings with band more recessed on sound stage.